Drupal Release: 7.0-rc-3

TL;DR

Drupal 7.0-rc3 brings numerous bug fixes and improvements as the project moves closer to a stable release. This release candidate addresses critical issues in database handling (particularly for PostgreSQL and SQLite), fixes AJAX functionality with file uploads, improves Field API robustness, and resolves various theme-related bugs. While primarily focused on stability rather than new features, these fixes are essential for anyone testing or preparing to deploy Drupal 7.

Highlight of the Release

• 100% passing tests in SQLite database driver
• Fixed AJAX functionality with file uploads
• Improved database compatibility with PostgreSQL 9.0
• Enhanced Field API robustness and upgrade path
• Fixed login persistence during Drupal 6 to 7 upgrades

Migration Guide

Migration Notes

This release candidate includes several important fixes for those upgrading from Drupal 6 to Drupal 7:

• Fixed login persistence issues during upgrades from D6 to D7 (#945112)
• Improved upgrade path for administration theme settings and permissions (#669510)
• Fixed issues with Fields created during Drupal 6 to 7 upgrade (#996160)
• Fixed PostgreSQL upgrade path issues related to NOT NULL constraints (#974250)

If you're upgrading from Drupal 6, ensure you test thoroughly with this release candidate before proceeding to production. Pay special attention to:

1. Field configurations, especially if you're using custom field types
2. Database schema changes if using PostgreSQL or SQLite
3. Theme settings and configurations
4. User authentication after the upgrade

For those upgrading from previous Drupal 7 release candidates, most changes are bug fixes that shouldn't require special migration steps.

Upgrade Recommendations

For Drupal 6 Sites Planning to Upgrade to Drupal 7

This release candidate fixes several critical upgrade path issues. If you've been waiting to test your Drupal 6 to 7 upgrade, this RC provides a much more stable foundation. We recommend creating a test environment to verify your specific upgrade scenario works correctly.

For Previous Drupal 7 Release Candidates

Sites running Drupal 7.0-rc2 should upgrade to this release candidate as soon as possible, especially if you're:

• Using PostgreSQL or SQLite as your database
• Implementing AJAX forms with file uploads
• Experiencing issues with Field API
• Having problems with theme settings

For Production Sites

While this release candidate represents significant progress toward stability, it's still not recommended for production sites unless you're actively participating in testing. Wait for the final 7.0 release for production deployments.

Bug Fixes

Database Layer

• Fixed transaction handling and concurrent testing on SQLite (#850852)
• Fixed PostgreSQL 9.0 compatibility issues during installation (#926636)
• Fixed SQLite update queries with expressions (#1004060)
• Fixed count queries with aliases in SQLite (#1003860)
• Completed implementation of DatabaseSchema::addField() for SQLite (#1004068)
• Fixed upgrade path issues on PostgreSQL related to NOT NULL constraints (#974250)

AJAX and Forms

• Fixed AJAX functionality with file uploads and multipart forms (#995854)
• Added support for spaces in textareas and textfields with AJAX (#995122)
• Fixed missing dependency on jquery.cookie for jquery.form (#954804)
• Moved #ajax default settings from PHP into JS for better performance (#951262)

Field API

• Fixed issues with fields created during Drupal 6 to 7 upgrade (#996160)
• Fixed handling of allowed values changes in 'List' fields (#932502)
• Fixed zombie state of fields when deleting node types (#915906)
• Improved robustness of entity type field handling (#986992, #1002708)

Theme Issues

• Fixed Preview logo not being removed when logo theme setting is off in Bartik (#987102)
• Fixed Bartik's Featured region not supporting colorization (#992738)
• Fixed text size in textareas being too small in Seven theme (#1002238)
• Fixed delete buttons appearing disabled in Seven theme (#544398)

Other Fixes

• Fixed login persistence during Drupal 6 to 7 upgrades (#945112)
• Fixed node types being accidentally marked as disabled (#986296)
• Fixed serialization errors with PDO instances (#977460)
• Fixed incorrect default sort on admin/content page (#993026)
• Fixed password_count_log2 variable handling (#991270)
• Fixed comment body missing when comment module enabled after content type module (#890128)

New Features

No significant new features were introduced in this release candidate. This release focuses primarily on bug fixes, documentation improvements, and stability enhancements as Drupal 7 approaches its final release.

Security Updates

Security Improvements

• Improved documentation for security details in drupal_attributes() function (#856732), helping developers better understand security implications
• Fixed password handling with improved validation of password_count_log2 variable (#991270), ensuring password security settings remain within appropriate bounds

Performance Improvements

Performance Enhancements

• Added garbage collection to the update manager (#605318), which helps prevent accumulation of unnecessary files and improves long-term performance
• Moved #ajax default settings from PHP into JavaScript (#951262), reducing PHP processing overhead for AJAX-enabled forms
• Removed pointless files[] declarations on files that are not declaring classes (#915174), which reduces unnecessary file loading
• Improved database query handling, particularly for count queries and expressions in SQLite, which should provide better performance for database operations

Impact Summary

Drupal 7.0-rc3 represents a significant step toward a stable Drupal 7 release, focusing on fixing critical bugs rather than adding new features. The most impactful changes include database driver improvements (particularly for PostgreSQL and SQLite), with SQLite now achieving 100% passing tests. AJAX functionality with file uploads has been fixed, addressing a major pain point for developers building interactive forms.

Field API received substantial attention, fixing issues with field handling during upgrades from Drupal 6, resolving problems with node type deletion, and improving robustness of entity type field handling. These fixes are particularly important for sites with complex content models.

Theme-related fixes improve both the administrative experience (Seven theme) and the default front-end theme (Bartik), ensuring more consistent behavior across the system.

The upgrade path from Drupal 6 has been significantly improved, fixing login persistence issues and addressing database-specific upgrade challenges. This makes testing upgrades more reliable for sites planning to move to Drupal 7.

Overall, this release candidate demonstrates Drupal's commitment to stability and quality as it approaches the final 7.0 release, with a focus on ensuring that core functionality works correctly across different environments and use cases.